What do I need for an IEP?

[Sunlighthealer]

Hi. I am rather new to this board, and I posted about my son on the general page, and someone told me I should post my info on this forum, as someone here may be able to help answer some of my questions. First off, my difficult child is 6 yo. He was diagnosed by a child psychologist at XXX, at age 4. On my side there is a history of depression and anxiety. husband says he was much like difficult child is now, but back then they didn't know alot about mood disorders, and he has never been officially diagnosed. My difficult child will not listen, even to the simplest instructions, and will hit, punch, or kick his brother even without provocation. He has now been suspended 4 times from school, the first time for walking off school property, the second time for pushing his teacher and kicking a sub principal who was pregnant, the third time again for hitting and kicking. At this point I removed him from the school, as they seemed to want to believe my son was solely to blame for what was happening, and that they bear no responsibility. the last time he was suspended there, it was because kids in his math group called him stupid and his teacher wouldn't do anything. So he wouldn't go back in that group and it escalated from there.

We changed him to his current school, where things were going ok. His teacher and I have an open line of communication via email, and his principal checks with him daily. There were instances of him walking away, and arguing, but they were ok with working around it as best they could ie if he wanted to draw while the others where doing P.E. he could sit where the teacher could see him and draw. A week ago last friday, he had a sub for the third day in a row. About 30 before school was out, the sub was going to pass something out to the class, and he didn't want her to. After a bit of fighting, the sub sent a student to get the principal. (her first mistake) difficult child grabbed the little girl by the wrist and would not let her go. At this point the sub made her second mistake and sent ANOTHER child for the principal. As with the first, difficult child grabbed and wouldn't let go. When the principal arrived, she helped the little girl and then told difficult child to follow her to her office. He said he would not and was going to throw a toy at her. He did and she took it and walked to her office. He followed her, yelling at her and pulling her arm trying to get the car. When they arrived at the office an aide called me, and I could hear him screaming in the background as the principal asked me to come get him. When I arrived, she and an aide had him restrained on the floor and he was yelling and screaming. The principals arm was pink from him grabbing her. Apparently he also scratched her but I did not see those. She told me he was going to be suspended for a week pending a ARP (Administrative Review Panel) to decide if he can even come back. Although both she and his teacher are requesting they DO NOT remove him from the school. Well, we got the paperwork for the ARP on Fri, and it is not until the 29th. So essentially, my difficult child is suspended for 3 weeks, not just 1. I plan to contact the principal on Monday and let her know I do not find this acceptable as not only was this partially caused by them and their not judging the situation correctly, but he is being suspended for some scratched and what is basically an Indian burn. I understand he was violent, but it stemed from their actions. If ther teacher wanted the principal maybe SHE should have gotten her.

After doing some late night research this weekend, I found the names of a few child psychologists in my area who specialize in this and after showing them to my son there is one he really wants to meet. So I will be calling her in the morning to see if I can set up an appoinment for them to meet.

What I need to know is, is there anything I should get/ask from her to help me with the IEP, besides a written record of his diagnosis? I saw the post on here for the parent report, and am beginning to work on that, I am just wondering what else I need to get this going.

TIA for any help you can give!

[edited out name of provider- TM]

 

[dadside]

You need a couple of things for an IEP, the first being your son having one of a number of specified conditions, and the other being evidence that his learning is significantly hurt because of that condition that he needs special education and related services. It is especialy helpful if you know what kind of services he needs up front. The process is sort-of straightforward, but does have a lot of rules and required procedures, and understanding them (or having someone who does understand them to help you) is quite valuable in most places. Your local library may have books on the subject, or you might look at www.wrightslaw.com for guidance.

I suggest writing a letter requesting an IEP - following advice from a source such as sugested above. That should at least preclude any permanent expulsion on the 29th. For the moment you might omit any authorization to test/evaluate as that will start a 60-day time limit to complete the process, and I don't know that you have enough info without your son seeing the psychologist and you get a diagnosis and recomendations.

Also, I suggest you not express your view that your son's behavior was partialy caused by his teacher - or the principal. I also wouldn't suggest the teacher leave a classroom with a violent kid, so sending another student may have been the only option for the help that was so clearly in order.

 

[Sunlighthealer]

Thank you for the information. I got off the phone with the Psychiatrist about 20 min ago, and will be meeting with her tomorrow. She too suggested I get in the IEP request in writing asap which I will be writing up shortly. The thing with the sub was, she wouldn't have had to leave the room, but simply go to the door, as the principal was outside, talking to the teacher in front of the room next to her. Either way, I will definitely not express my views on that at the meeting. as I imagine that would only hurt my son where I am trying to help him.

 

[Martie]

Hi,

A portion of Federal legislation protects children such as your son. Write a letter to the Director of Special Education (or superintendent in small SD) stating that you son is a child who is probably in need of special education and you are putting the SD on notice of this. They already know this, but you need to start building a paper trail to subsequently get what your son needs. Here is the link to this discussion in the Archives of Sp Ed 101:

http://www.conductdisorders.com/forum/showthread.php?t=733

Meet with the psychiatrist and then formally request a full case study evaluation for which there is a 60 calendar day time limit and summers count except in very small SD that close down the whole show in the summer. If the administrative offices are open, the day counts.

Send BOTH of these communications by CERTIFIED mail. Then start a very good filing system if you don't already have one. Keeping track of all communications is very important.

I agree that it is important to keep the teacher and principal on your side. It is possible that if you child is making adequate academic progress, he will not qualifiy for an IEP, but there is a very clear need for a Behavior Intervention Plan and Positive Behavioral Supports (BIP & PBS) right now due to the school's actions. I also agree that the sub made mistakes, but the correct thing to do is send a child to the Office for help that your difficult child can't grab first.

Good luck---in my opinion you are going to need to be very proactive to keep your child in general education. Your SD is starting him very young on the road to alternative education, which is often, but not always, a road to nowhere.

Martie